Features | 19
A band of university friends who make an annual trip to Royal Ascot have extra reason to look forward to their annual pilgrimage this week when the horse they jointly own, Sir Robert Cheval, makes his first appearance at the meeting.
It’s a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the seven‐year‐old, whose future hung in the balance only months ago when he developed an infection after a relatively routine veterinary procedure.
Sir Robert Cheval is the last foal produced by the remarkable mare Aunt Ruby, bought out of a Southwell seller by owner John Penny in 2001.
Aunt Ruby failed to sparkle in four starts for the ownership group founded by Penny, Heart Of The South Racing, but went on to become a fine broodmare for the partnership, breeding six winners from seven foals.
Sir Robert Cheval, the last of the seven, was syndicated as a breeding partnership by Heart Of The South. Nine of his 10 per cent share holders were friends, many of whom had enjoyed involvement in previous Heart Of The South partnerships. Penny and his family retained the other share.
Patience is always required in a breeding partnership, the years that the process requires to get from mating to racecourse deterring some owners from getting involved. But patience has been a virtue required from the start with Sir Robert Cheval.
Even at two, there was a hint of a problem with his knees despite being able to register a first, second and third placing from his only three starts.
At the end of the following year, he underwent surgery to remove bone chips, and his visits to the vet have become no less regular since, the horse requiring considerable investment and support to allow him to continue his racing career.
But there is no doubt of either the enthusiasm or the talent that Sir Robert Cheval possesses to do the job he was bred for and he has earned more than £70,000 in prize money and, having twice finished second at Ascot on his final starts of 2017, a rating high enough to secure him a coveted place in Saturday’s Wokingham Stakes.
Heart Of The South Racing’s Eloise Adamski will be among those cheering him on from the stands at the track that day, as she joins her parents, and colleague Sam Bridle on “a staff outing” along with the nine shareholders and their friends and families.
“He has the heart of an absolute lion and no horse will deserve it more, given everything he has been through,” she explains.
“Aunt Ruby has been an amazing mare for us. Her first foal South Cape won 11 races and himself ran twice at Royal Ascot, while all bar one of her other foals won races and the only one that didn’t Imperial Ruby, went on to win a host of showing events and was the ROR Champion last year, so even he went on to be a star.
“The original plan for Sir Robert Cheval this year was to go first time out for the same race at Newbury that he won last year, but he wasn’t ready in time because he got a bad infection when he was having his knees flushed out over the winter.
“He had to spend a month in hospital and we spent all of the prize money he won last year on his vets fees, but considering that it really didn’t look good for him for a while, it’s just amazing that he is still with us, let alone able to be back racing again.
“The horse’s welfare is always the most important thing to us, but he’s showing all the right signs. He has a special training regime all of his own at Robert Cowell’s yard, like a number of his horses have, but he’s as enthusiastic as ever. He’s moving well, galloping well, eating well, looks brilliant and has been dropping his shoulder and trying to throw his rider off at home, which is always a good sign that he is full of beans.”
Sir Robert Cheval is one of 16 horses currently in training owned by partnerships put together by Heart Of The South Racing. More details at www.hotsr.co.uk.